The boys then throw their heads back, wailing harder and I…

Well, I do something that, in retrospect, is probably very dumb.

But I gasp and smile broadly, my eyes shining as I lean forward, my voice breathless with joy. “Girls!?” I ask Alvin, thrilled. “They’re girls!?”

“See!” he shouts, staring daggers at me and leaping up from my lap. “You are happy they are girls! You will love them more!”

“No, I –“ I say, trying to wipe the smile from my face and failing.

“Mamaaa,” Ian moans, like his life is ending, slipping bonelessly from his father’s lap to fall in a puddle on the floor. “You will love them – you will forget about us –“

“I won’t, I promise I won’t!”

“You still have me!” Victor offers to the boys, putting out a hand towards him.

Betrayed, I spin on him, my mouth falling open. “What!” I gasp.

“Oh come on, Evelyn,” Victor says, raising his eyebrows seriously at me. “You’re totally going to love two little girls more –“

“What!?” I screech a hand going to my heart, honestly betrayed. “Not more!” I insist, working to say more, but my argument is drowned out but the growing cries of my two sons.

And then, I lose it. I just burst into laughter at the ridiculousness of the whole thing – about finding out that I’m pregnant with a second set of twins because my genius children can hear their sisters’ heartbeats, about being accused of keeping secrets, about Victor taking their side –

I’m shaking with laughter, unable to help myself, and I feel Victor’s arms warm around me, feel him laughing too. The boys continue to cry, but we just…

Well, maybe it’s bad parenting, but we just let them. They are in for a big change – maybe it’s normal for them to feel a little grief over it.

But a few minutes later, I feel little paws against my leg and open my eyes, my laughter abating a little, to see my Ian’s tear-stained face close to me.

“Come on, baby,” I murmur, helping him up onto the bed and into my lap. “Don’t be sad – I promise not to love them more than you.”

“Do you promise to love them less?” he asks, sniffing.

And I can’t help it. I lie. “Sure, baby,” I whisper, smoothing a hand over his hair. “Just for you, I’ll love them just a little tiny bit less. You’re my first babies, after all. It’s only fair.”

smug, and

sit for a

to his mind, shaking my head a little. Double the crazy – double the emotions – what if we get pregnant again and then have to convince four kids that we’re going to love

a fervid little push. Let’s just – handle these two, and the two

on Ian’s hair, giving him a sniff and basking in the warmth of my little boy’s unique

though, something occurs to

not wanting to set him off again. “How

curiously, his eyes drying

watching him.

it’s obvious. “We tried to mind-link with them,

down at his son. “You can mind-link with

have minds yet –“ I say, disbelieving

from laughing, not imagining that he’d take that well in his current mood. I nod to him, letting him know that we want him to continue. “We tried to mind-link with

He hesitates, thinking.

at my belly. “We could…touch them. We knew that they felt…good, I guess? It

be girls,” Alvin says, assured. “I don’t know how we

my head a little and looking between them. “I thought that you two could connect with each other because you were…well, because you’re twins. You’ve always been connected. I never thought that this kind of connection would extend to more siblings, if you ever

not knowing and perhaps

with

sure to make sure they were nice to their sisters later. “Well,” I say, conciliatory. “Maybe you’ll change your

grumbles. Then, he looks up at Victor and me. “Can you

“What?” Victor asks, confused.

he sits up. “We have had a hard morning. We would like some

them to think I’m being condescending because, in reality, I think it’s wonderful that they’re asking for space when

the mom…she just wants to squeal at the cuteness of

The boys move to the other side of the room, talking softly, and I take Victor’s hand,

I can leave, though, he stops and calls to Ian

turn to us,

ready, let’s all keep this a secret, okay?

eagerly, glad to be in on it

I call to them as they turn away. Victor and I

around in the hallway, burying his head again against

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